Gulch Pensioned; A.P. Indy's Fee Cut

Gulch, the 1988 champion sprinter the year he won the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (gr. I), has been pensioned from stallion duty because of declining fertility at William S. Farish’s Lane’s End Farm near Versailles, Ky. In other news, Lane End’s has reduced A.P. Indy’s fee to $150,000 from $250,000 for 2010.

Gulch, one of the leading sons of Mr. Prospector as both a runner and sire, was retired to Lane’s End after winning the Sprint at Churchill Downs. He ranked among the leading first-crop sires of 1992, and by the time his oldest runners were 5-year-olds in 1995, he ranked second on the general sire’s list, with progeny earnings of $6.1 million.

His 1995 runners were led by Kentucky Derby (gr. I) and Belmont (gr. I) and Travers (gr. I) Stakes winner Thunder Gulch, who was voted champion 3-year-old male. Thunder Gulch developed into a leading sire, topping the list in 2001 when his son Point Givenwas voted Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male after winning the Preakness (gr. I) and Belmont Stakes.

During his career, Gulch sired other grade I winners Court Vision, Great Navigator, The Cliff's Edge, and Wallenda, as well as English and Dubai champion Nayef, English classic-winning filly Harayir, Japanese group I winner Eagle Cafe, and French group I winner Torrential. Four-year-old Court Vision’s grade I wins came in this year’s Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (gr. IT) at Keeneland and last year’s Hollywood Derby (gr. IT).

Gulch is represented by 71 stakes winners, 30 of which are grade or group winners; 72 stakes-placed runners; and the earners of $80 million.

Gulch, out of the grade I-winning Rambunctious mare Jameela, was bred and raced by Peter Brant and was trained first by LeRoy Jolly and then by D. Wayne Lukas. In addition to the Sprint, Kentucky-bred Gulch won consecutive runnings of the Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I, 1987-88) and took the Wood Memorial Invitational (gr. I), Futurity (gr. I), and Hopeful (gr. I) stakes and the Carter Handicap (gr. I). He retired with 13 wins and a dozen placings from 32 starts and earnings of $3,095,521.

A.P. Indy, by Seattle Slew, has stood his entire career at Lane’s End, too. He ranks fourth on this year’s leading sire’s list, with progeny earnings of $7.6 million. He topped the sire’s list in 2003 and 2006.

Lane’s End also stands dual leading sire Smart Strike. The son of Mr. Prospector led the general sire’s list in 2007-08. Smart Strike, who stood last breeding season for $125,000, will stand for $75,000 in 2010.

Smart Strike's son, Curlin, Horse of the Year in 2007-08, has undergone a fee reduction to $60,000. He stood for $75,000 in 2009.

“All of our farm fees are on a live foal, payable when foal stands and nurses basis,” Farish said. “We are also offering a 10% discount if the stud fee is paid in full prior to Nov. 1, 2010. In an effort to increase market value for all of our clients, we will continue to closely monitor the size of our stallions’ books and will remain sensitive to this issue.”